San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-07-21
THE DOODLE INQUIRY.
All Evidence in and the Investigate
over.


gard to the charge by Col. Belknap that
aldermen had been offered stock 10 help
the electric light companies.
Alderman Conner, probably the most
interested of any of the board in this ac-
cusation, was the first witness. lie tes-
titled: | talked to parties about the
electric lights; they all wanted my vote
and told them | would vote for the
lowest and best bidder was not offer
ed stock by any company. took Richey
to the Southern hotel to Introduce him
to party with outside capital, who
proposed to put up q good and cheap
light. The conversation was short. Cole
was telling ofthe light to Richey. I.gtep-
ped into Mr.. Tuttle's saloon. | did not
hear the conversation and no one told
me OF Ii. l was spoken to by another gen.
tleman in roundabout way and he
claimed to be a stakeholder. too. He did
not offer me stock. | mean Owen Cook.
He told me ne was a stakeholder and
that there was something In 1t. He
would build the house and make 5000
profit on Ii, and | should have 500 of it.
He explained that he had made $1,000 on
the opera house. He said when man
helped him he helped him back. He
said he divided profits on the opera
house with Hoffman and Berg. said
neither no nor yes in answer TO Cook,
but replied that | was for the lowest and
best bidder, whether at home or abroad.
| will give You history Of that note.
Ii was four years old and had been
trying to collect IL all the time. 1t will
soon be debarred by statute Of limita-
ton. put 1t in the Traders National
bank before IL fell due, and afterwards
put 1t In the hands of Hugo &
Schneider for collection, with whom Ii
remained for two years. Ii amounted to
$50 10, with 10 per cent interest, and Is
now Sl24. tried In vain to collect it
and used every fair means. did ii un-
der no cloak. | went in again and those
propositions and insinuatiOns made me
think there was money In the air, and
thought iT was good time TO collect il.
| never made any threats. Saturday |
was partially promised the money by
Monday, by the maker OF the note, Capt.
Sidney futile, but he didn't show up.
| saw Cook on the same day, Monday,
and spoke TO him OF the 5000 house,
and said 1t was strange | couldn't COL
lect $50 or 500 out OF a firm that was
SoihB W pun III q gDOsOOO VI SlOO,DOO
plant. By 10 or IL o'clock a OOnversa-
ton occurred between myself and
Cook, and l went to a saloon and
got some REFRESHMENTS lager beer. Cook
volunteered to get me the money in 20
minutes and took the note. | seen him
several times before the council. Then
the last thing | proposed TO borrow 500;
Cook did not bring me the money or the
note. My name is endorsed upon the
back OF 1t. | was not offered any stock
by anybody in any company for voting
in favor of anything. Positively | did
not say If the note was not paid by IL
that day | would vote against the COM
pany. I saw a difference Of $50. 600 10
their figures. I've got it here; Dallas.
S5230; san Antonio Co., S2l 600; Gas
company's electric light bid, S6I33.
Their bid on gas was SI4 800; | wouldn't
have thought Of this again II had rot
been charged with trying to blackmail.
Richey-Did Mr.. Cole offer me any
stock3 A.-No; not that know OF.
j. z. Hickman testified: Mr.. Cole told
me ne was here to bid on lights and
asked me questions. | told him he
would have hard time of it, and even If
the lowest, he would be run out, as for
eign capital always was. He was de-
ting charter. He asked me to help
him as he wanted some San AntOnians
in it to lOcaliZe 1t. | suggested Kali
teyer and Col. Frost. We saw Kalteyer
about the right of way. introduced
him to Kaltey6r, who gave him the in
formation, and then conversation
took place in which Cole asked him to
be one OF the charter member. Kali
teyer saiG he couldn't act on account o.
being an alderman. | eXplained to him
that 1t would be good Investment and
he had better go in. He still declined
on account of being In the council. |
was present at the conversation between
Cole and RCihey. Nothing was said
about stock then. Richey merely asked
Cole about the character OF his proposed
light. This took place in my office. In
leaving there we walked in the saloon
for Il beer, Cole, Richey and myself. |
said TO Richey. III you have any spare
money to invest this would be a good
Investment. don't know If he
answered. did not expect ANY
answer from the remark. | know posi-
lively there was no stock offered to Mr..
COnnor. He, Cole, told me he had no
idea Of offering any stock in this COM
pany to the aldermen. | helped Cole
merely from friendship. He did
not authorized me to make any
offers to the aldermen. have
| have not been approached by any
other company. knew Alderman Kali
teyer had money, and asked him recent
ly about the Electric Light company,
and talked about the stock Of the COM
pany. He objected to take stock, being
an alderman. | said he Was a share
holder in the Lone Stare Brewery and
the Alamo Cement company, and said
II that wE-a the case, he had better re-
sign his stock lis these enterprises.
approached others - take stock.
Question by Richey.-%as you not
present all the time l was at tue hotel.
A. Yes. u
Gus Mauerman, alderman, testified:
He heard it Sunday. Met Helry Berg.
We had some talk about elect,,ic lights
and the pending bids. | enQt into
the different systems. He mG.de some
remarks about Alderman Conn0r. Told
me 1t looked like Conner Intended to
make something out of 1t; as a member
Of the committee. Said Z lad been
trying to borrow certain amou OTIS. He
seemed tc state that Corners bd rrowing
the money would influence hFim in his
vote on this bid. He made no specific
charge OF any kind in my pres enoe. l
may have asked questions to thIe alder
men II they had heard anything bout ii.
but did not mention 1t to any others.
Alderman Kalteyer testified: L think
1 have told all know, excep from
hearsay. 1 think other people might
tell more about it. did not say l. would
like to testify more about it be fore q
private committee.
e. q. Nausebach testIfIed. II s hard